The present invention is directed to safety signal lights of a type adapted for disposition at the remote ends of a handlebar on a bicycle or like vehicle and possessing facility for manual energization to indicate presence of the vehicle to the rear after dark.
Signal lights of the described character, as heretofore proposed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,427,138, to Walicki et al 2,469,944, to Bauters 2,603,701, to Schadel 2,793,284, to Simoneit, German published application No. 1,111,969 (1961) and British Pat. No. 405,118 (1934), have generally been characterized by elaborate and expensive construction. Copending application Ser. No. 763,648, filed Aug. 8, 1985, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,954, by the inventors herein and assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses an improved signal light which comprises a battery shell of conductive sheet metal construction having cantilevered inwardly projecting tabs at one end for resilient electrical contact with batteries captured therewithin, and an opening at the opposing end for threadably receiving a lamp. The shell is contoured for sliding press-fit insertion into the open end of a tubular handlebar, with the longitudinally extending shell edges in sliding contact with the inside handlebar surface. A lens is mounted on the bulb of the lamp and has a head for endwise abutment with the handlebar end. A skirt integrally extends from the lens head surrounding the lamp and is closely received internally of the handlebar end for absorbing the shock of impacts on the handlebar end. Rotation of the lens brings the bulb into electrical contact with the batteries for energizing the bulb.
Although the signal light disclosed in such copending application represents a significant advance over earlier art, some problems were encountered in commercial application of the invention. For example, it was found that the lens/lamp unit occasionally worked loose from the battery shell due to vibration of the vehicle and handlebar. Furthermore, excessive twisting of the lens and lamp tended to fracture the lamp where the lamp bulb joins the lamp base. Moreover, wide variations of handlebar inside diameters are such that a single rectangular shell geometry could not accommodate all conventional handlebar configurations. Finally, it was found that the overall length of the shell/lamp/lens combination was such that it could not be readily employed in certain handlebars having a very short end section before a tight bend.